Feeding and coating system



Dec. 2 2, 1936.

T. A. FEDERW|TZ Er AL 2,065,178'

FEEDING AND COATING`S`YSTEM y y original Filed Nov. 24, 1928 4 Sheets-'Sheet 1 v INVENToR.

" `ATTORNEY.

Dea 22, 1936- 1'.. A. FEDERwl-rz Er AL 2,065,178

FEEDING AND COATING SYSTEM Original F'led Nov. 24, 1928v `4 `Sheets-Sheet 2 Wma-WMM@ BY` M0/f i 624mb. 'EL @nm #ML ATTORNEY.

Dec. 22, 1.936.' T. A.FEDERw|T2 E1- AL 2,065,178

FEEDING AND coATiNG SYSTEM` Original Filed NOW 24, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 n@HBHSHSHBMSHSHSwHBNSHSH@um C l NMv Dec. 22, 193s.A

v'I". A. F EDERWITZ ET AL FEEDING AND COAT-ING SYSTEM Original Filed Nov. 24, 1928 oo o oa oooo oooooooooo ooooooooo 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 7% ,d lNVENToR.

Patented Dec. 22, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ICE FEEDING AND COATING SYSTEM Original application November 24, 1928, Serial No. 321,635. Divided and this application November 25, 1931, Serial No. 577,216

26 Claims.V

Our invention relates to methods of and apparatus for feeding and coating wrappers, sheets', labels, or equivalent, hereinafter generically termed "wrappers.

This application is a division of our application Serial No. 321,635, filed November 24, 1928, upon which has issued Letters Patent 1,906,051.

In accordance with our invention, suction is applied in stripping a Wrapper from an adhesive applying roll as it is fed from or advanced by the roll, through conveyor beltvstruc'tureas it passes over a. perforated suction drum or pulley, whose periphery closely approaches the periphery of the coating roll. 1

Also in accordance with our invention, application of suction is continued as the wrapper travels with the belt structure beyond the suction drum in a rectilinear path; and, preferably, during this further movement, an air blast supplements the suction in control of the wrapper and for holding it against the conveyor belt.

Further in accordance with our invention, the wrapper is transferred to a second conveyor, and, more particularly, in passing the air blast permits the blast to break the suction thereby releasing the wrapper therefrom for movement by or with the second conveyor; preferably, the second conveyor comprises a belt through which suction is exerted, the aforesaid cooperation of the air blast and successive wrappers avoiding the need for valves or-the like for cutting off suction from the first conveyor, while maintaining suction in the second conveyor, and permitting the suction chambers of both conveyors to be in continuous communication with a common suction pump.

Also in accordance with our invention, .particularly as the wrapper is straightening out in passing beyond the suction drum and before application of the air blast, it is mechanically guided or held against the belt structure as by thin plates-or fingers.

More specifically, the rst vconveyor comprises twounits each having a suction drum and belt, and preferably the units are adjustable transversely of the machine to accommodate wrappers of different dimensions; and more particularly, the units have a common mounting for tilting them away from the coating roll.

Our invention further resides in the method, features lof construction and arrangement hereinafter described and claimed.

For an understanding of our invention, and for illustration of a preferred embodiment thereof, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a box-wrapping system including our invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, Apartly in sec.

tion, of wrapper coating and feeding mechanism shown in Fig. 1. y

Fig. 2a is a detail view on enlarged scale of parts shown in Fig. 2.

Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views.

Fig. 5 is a plan view, with parts omitted, and parts in section of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2.

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views, in front and side elevation, showing in section, and on enlarged scale, wrapper conveyor mechanism of Figs. 2 and 5.

Fig. 8 is a front elevational View, partly in section, of structure shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is 4shown an adhesive applying unit G, and a wrapping machine W or equivalent. Unit G and machine W are cooperatively relatedl by mechanism synchronizing the operations or movements of the unit G with the operations or movements of the machine W and with a conveying or transferring unit C which delivers to the wrapping machine W boxes, or

equivalent as aforesaid and sheets or equivalent, as aforesaid, the latter gummed or glued and delivered by the unit G to the transferring unit C. The adhesive applying unit G may be of any suitable type capable of applying adhesive to sheets of box-wrapping paper, or other suitable material, and delivering the gummed sheets in succession at uniformintervals. In the example illustrated the unit G is of the same general type disclosed, for example, in Nitsch and Federwitz Letters Patent 1,472,614 granted October 30, 1923.

The wrapping machine W may be of any suitable character and in the example illustrated is broadly of the typ disclosed in prior Letters Patent to Nitsch and Federwitz 1,540,900, and in our prior Letters Patent 1,541,036. I

The conveying unit C is generally of the type disclosed in our co-pending applications 698,841 filed May 13, 1924; 40,769, filed July 1, 1925; 70,462, filed November 21, 1925 and 158,183, led December 31, 1926, and Stokes application 147,405, filed November 10, 1926, which have issued as Letters Patents Nos. 1,804,094-'-l,803,935- 1,804,406-1,831,236 and 1,796,731, respectively.

The adhesive applying unit G is driven at suitable speed by any suitable source of power, as a motor I, and includes apparatus to remove single sheets S from a stack T of unglued sheets. ,Referring to Fig. 3, the mechanism which may be of the type described and claimed in co-pending Nitsch and Baker application 3,316, filed January disposed adjacent opposite ends thereof.

19, 1925, upon which has issued Letters Patent No. 1,684,741, comprises a lever 2 pivoted at 3 to a side frame of gluer G and rocked by a cam 4 having a slot engaging a roller 5 secured to the lever. The upper end of lever 2 is connected by a link 6 to a carriage member l having rollers along the inclined guideway until the pointy of its travel is reached at which the front edge of the sheet is clamped between the feed roll I2 and cooperating roller 3. The sheet S guided between plates |4 and i5 is engaged by the feed rolls I6 and and moved thereby into engagement with the coated surface of a glueor adhesive-applying roll |9.

Preferably adhesive is supplied to this roller by mechanism of the type described and claimed in copending Federwitz application Serial No. 187,646, led April 29, 1927, which has issued as Letters Patent No. 1,772,344. A constantly rotating agitating roller 26, whose lower surface dips in a reservoir of adhesivewithin a pan or tank 22, maintains a fountain of adhesive between the constantly revolving rolls |9 and 20, the intermittently rotated roller 2| interposed therebetween forming a scraper to insure a smooth coating on the surface of roller I9. By suitable mechanism, for example, similar to that described in our copending application Serial No. 244,124, led January 3, 1928, for which has been granted Letters Patent No. 1,770,483, the stack T is fed upwardly as sheets S are removed therefrom. The table or support 23-carrying the stack of sheets may be raised or lowered when desired or necessary by manual operation of the handwheel 24.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 5, to opposite sides of the conveyor base member 25 and extending upwardly therefrom are the side frames 26a connected by tie-bolts 2T which pass through and support the adjustable conveyor frames 28 and 28a, each of which is provided with a chain 29 or equivalent, supported by idler sprockets 30 Sheetgrippers 3|, preferably of the character disclosed in our aforesaid co-pending application Serial No. 40,769 are uniformly spaced along the chains. Each frame, as is shown most clearly in Fig. v8, adjacent its end near gluer unit G, is provided with a depending bracket 32 secured thereto as by bolts 33, and through which freely passes the intermittently rotated shaft 34 journaled in the side frames of the gluing machine. A pulley 35 is provided with a slot loosely fitting a key 36, or equivalent, secured to shaft 34, effecting rotation of the pulley with the shaft but permitting its movement longitudinally thereof with bracket 32. A retaining member 31 secured to bracket 32 as by bolt 38 engages one face of the pulley and the bracket 32 the other face thereof. The bracket 32 is provided with a hub portion 39 on which is pivotally mounted a lever 40, to the other end of which, adjacent the roller |9 of the gluer unit G is pivotally mounted for rotation, a suction drum or pulley 4|. As illustrated in Fig. 7, the pulley may be mounted on ball bearings the in ner race of which is secured to a bolt 42 extending through'the lever 40 and clamping thereto a hollow, apertured member 43 having a cut-away portion 44 which permits suction within a comis in alignment with perforations of the belt 46.

The outlet of chamber 45 may be suitably conl nected, as by a pipe 49, Fig. 5, to the intake of a suction pump P Fig. l, whose outlet side may be connected through a pipe 5| to a tube 52 positioned above lever 40, and provided with a series of holes in itslower surface, opposite belt 46, at l least one of which particularly the one nearest the adhesive applying unit G is or may be provided with a nozzle 53. The pipe 52 is supported by member 54 adjustably clamped to a bar 55 (Fig. 4) secured to housing 40. 2

Bracket 32 is provided with an extension 56, Fig. 5, having a slot 57 through which passes a guide bolt 58. Ready access to the rolls of the gluing machine may be had by tilting upwardly either or both of the levers 46 and the conveyor 2 structureV carried thereby. The guide ngers |96 are pivoted on stop bar |91 so that they do not obstruct the tilting of the suction conveyors toward or away from the coating roll |9. A stop bar 59, (Fig. 2a.)- extending between the side frames of the gluing unit G denes the proper position of lever 40. The belt 46 passes over an idler pulley 6|] freely rotatable on bolt or shaft 58, and a tension-adjusting pulley 6| mounted on an end of an arm 62 loosely pivoted on shaft 58. The position of arm 62 and the tension of belt 46 may be varied by adjustment of nut 63 along a threaded bolt 64 passing through arm 62 and extending from a post 65 secured to the lever 40.

By mechanism fully described and disclosed in our application Serial No. 321,635, filed November 24, 1928, of which this application is a division, the levers I4 (Fig. l) oscillate to effect intermittent movement of the conveyor chains 29 in timed relation to operation of the wrapping machine W. A gear 96 drives gear 9| to effect rotation of shaft 92 to which is secured a cam 93, which once for each cycle of the wrapping machine, rocks a lever 94 connected by cable 95 or equivalent to f tripping mechanism of the gluer unit G, synchronizing feeding of sheets S from stack T, and the transportation of sheets by conveyor chains 29.

The hollow member 43 also In the operation of the mechanism thus far 5;,

described, sheets are intermittently and periodically fed lfrom a stack, coated with adhesive and stripped from the adhesive applying roll I9 by strippers 96. Suction exerted through the drums 4| and belts 46 during the stripping operation draws the wrapper as it advances from the coating roll I9 onto the belts 46. As the wrapper curves over the top of the drums 4| onto the straight part of the belt, the fingers |96 guide it and keep it against the belts particularly before it is acted upon by the suction through slots 48 of chamber 4l. When on the upper lift of the conveyor belts 46, control of the wrapper is ensured both by suction and the air blast from orifices in pipes 52. As the rear edge of each wrapper passes beyond nozzle 53, at which time its leading edge lis within the jaws of grippers 3| of the second conveyor, the air blast from the nozzle enters chamber 41 directly below and so breaks the vacuum to release the wrapper from suction during movement by the second conveyor. By this cooperation between the wrapper and air-blast, it is not necessary to provide Valves and operating mechanism intermittently to break and reestablish the vacuum.

As the wrapper is transported by conveyor belts 46, it is thrust against the vertical portion of the open grippers. As stated in our aforesaid application, Serial No. 40,769, now issued as Patent No. 1,893,736, should the sheet be laterally displaced with respect to a line extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor, its advanced corner will meet and be stop'ped by one of the grippers, whereupon the lagging corner will be carried forwardly into engagement with ythe other transversely-aligned gripper by the belts 46 to effect proper registration or alignment of the wrapper. In the construction herein disclosed, the suction is broken, as above described, allowing relative movement of the wrapper with respect .to the belts 46 without hindrance by suction.

The second conveyor includes a belt 99 through which suction within chamber |02 connected by conduit 149 to pump P is exerted to hold the wrappers flat during their transportation by the second conveyor. Belt 99 may be of porous fabric, or preferably of a rubber composition and provided with perforation of suitable size and spacing. The suction'chamber |02 extends to the wrapping machine W (Fig. 1) so that the wrappers are held fiat until they reach the wrapping station. As more fully described and claimed in` the parent application, the transfer plunger BT deposits boxes B in succession upon the wrappers while flat upon belt 99 and during continuance of suction.

The suction for chamber 102 and for the drum 4I and chamber 41 of the primary conveyors is supplied from a common source, pump P. Because of the cooperation between each wrapper in succession and the air blast, above described, suction is intermittently effective in the primary conveyors and continuously effective in the secf ond conveyor, without use of any valves, and notwithstanding that all chambers are in continuous communication with the single suction pump.

The guide plates 91 adjustably positioned on cross bar 59 extending transversely of the gluer unit between the side frames thereof support the middle portions of the wrappers to prevent sagging.

Though the adhesive applying mechanism is disclosed as incorporated in a complete and full automatic box-wrapping system, it is to be understood that the gluer G is a unit capable of being used, for example, to deliver coated wrappers to an operator who manually transports the box and wrappers to a wrapping machine.

What I claim is: Y Y

1. The method which comprises applying adhesive to a face of a box-wrapper, effecting en. gagement between the uncoated face of the wrapper and a moving surface, applying an air blast to the coated face and suction to the uncoated face of the wrapper to hold it against the moving surface, and at a point in the travel of the wrapper with said surface discontinuing the suction only.

2. The method which comprises applying adhesive to a face of a box-wrapper, effecting engagement between the uncoated face of the wrapper and a moving surface, applying an air blast tothe coated face and suction to the uncoated face of the wrapper to hold it against the moving surface, and as the trailing edge of the wrapper reaches a predetermined point destroying the suction by the air blast and holding the wrapper against the surface solely by the air blast.

3. 'I'he method which comprises applying adhesive to a face of a box-wrapper, effecting engagement between parallel, spaced strips of the uncoated face of the wrapper and moving surfaces, and holding the wrapper in engagement with said surfaces by applying suction to the uncoated face and an air blast to the coated face of the wrapper.

4. Wrapper feeding and coating mechanism comprising an adhesive applying roll, a suction chamber adjacent said roll, conveyor belt structure passing thereover, to transport adhesive coated wrappers, and means to provide an air blast on the coated side of wrappers conveyed by said belt structure.

5. Wrapper feeding and coating mechanism comprising an'adhesive applying roll, a suction drum adjacent said roll, a suction chamber, conveyor belt structure passing over said drum and chamber to transport adhesive coated wrappers, and means to provide a blast of air on the coated side of wrappers to the uncoated side of which is simultaneously applied suction within said chamber.

6. Wrapper feeding and coating mechanism comprising conveyor chains having wrapper gripper elements thereon, an adhesive applying roll, a suction chamber terminating adjacent said roll, a conveyor belt passing thereover to transport adhesive coated wrappers to said gripper elements, and means to provide an air blast destroying suction within said chamber as the wrappers are engaged by said gripper elements.

7. Wrapper feeding and coating mechanism v comprising conveyor chains having wrapper gripper elements thereon, an adhesive applying roll,

a suction chamber terminating adjacent said roll, a conveyor belt passing thereover to transport adhesive coated wrappers to saidI gripper elements, and means to direct a blast of air against the coated face of said wrapper to hold it in engagement with said belt, and to destroy suction within said chamber as the wrappers are engaged by said gripper elements.

8. Wrapper coating and feeding mechanism comprising an adhesive applying roll, a plurality of spaced suction drums positioned adjacent said roll, perforated belts passing over said drums to transport coated wrappers from said roll, and means for adjusting said drums and belts toward and away from each other parallel to said roll.

' 9. Wrapper coating and feeding mechanism comprising an adhesive applying roll, a plurality of spaced suction drums positioned adjacent said roll, conveyor chains having gripper elements, and perforated belts passing over said drums to transport coated wrappers from said roll to said for adjusting said units toward and away from each other parallel to the axis of said roll.

11. Wrapper feeding and coating mechanism comprising an adhesive applying roll, a perforated drum rotatable adjacent said roll, conveyor belt lstructure engaging said drum, means for applying suction through said drum and belt structure, and stationary structure for guiding the wrapper as it straightens out in passing with said belt beyond said drum.

12. Wrapper feeding and coating mechanism comprising an adhesive applying roll, a perforated drum rotatable adjacent said roll, a suction chamber spaced therefrom', conveyor belt structure successively passing over said drum and chamber, suction means connected to said roll and said chamber, and stationary structure for guiding a Wrapper `as it travels with said belt from said roll to said suction chamber.

13. Wrapper feeding and coating mechanism comprising an adhesiveapplying roll, a perforated drum rotatable adjacent said roll, conveyor belt structure engaging said drum, means for applying suction through said drum and belt structure, stationary structure disposed adjacent said drum for guiding the Wrapperas it straightens out in passing with said belt beyond said drum, a second conveyor for receiving a Wrapper transported by said belt structure comprising a second belt structure and associated suction chamber, meansy connecting said suction chamber to said suction means, and means controlled by a wrapper on said first conveyor belt structure to cut oif the suction through said drum Without effect upon the suction of said chamber.

14. Wrapper feeding and coating mechanism comprising an adhesive applying roll, conveyor belt structure for transporting wrappers from said roll, a suction chamber disposed adjacent said belt to hold wrappers thereagainst, a second conveyor including belt structure and suction chamber therefor, and means to direct a blast of Vair against a Wrapper during its movement with said rst belt structure and to destroy suction within said first chamber to release the Wrapper from suction for movement with said second conveyor, and without release of suction upon. wrappers upon said second belt structure.

15. Wrapper feeding and coating mechanism comprising an adhesive applying roll, conveyor belt structure for transporting wrappers from said roll', a suction chamber for holding Wrappers against said belt, a second conveyor, and means to direct a blast of air against a wrapper during its movement with said belt structure and to destroysuction within Vsaid first chamber as said wrapper moves to a position for transfer to said second conveyor.

Cal

16. Wrapper feeding and coating mechanism suction chamber, a perforated drum carried by and in communication with said chamber, normally disposed adjacent said roll, a conveyor belt passing over said drum and chamber to transport coated wrappers, and wrapper guiding struc- ,ture pivotally mounted to avoid obstruction to pivotal movement of said chamber.

17. Themethod which comprises applying suc.-

tion to transfer a box wrapper from an adhesive applying surface to a conveyor, continuing application o`f suction` and applying an. air blast during movement of the Wrapper with said conveyor,'transferring the Wrapper to a second conveyor, and for said transfer disconnecting sucv tion and maintaining only the air blast.

18. Wrapper feeding and coating mechanism comprising an adhesive applying roll, a suction drum adjacent said roll, a suction chamber, belt structure passing over said drum and chamber,

and a nozzle disposed to deliver a blast pressing the wrapper against said belt structure and to break the vacuum in said chamber when the trailing end of the Wrapper'passes said nozzle.

19. Wrapper feeding and coating mechanism comprising an adhesive applying roll, perforated drums rotatable adjacent said roll, conveyor belts passing over said drums, means for applying suction through said drum and belt structure, a second conveyor for receiving Wrappers transported by said belt structure, and stationary supporting members disposed between said belts and shorter than the distance between said applying roll and the adjace'nt end of said second conveyor.

20. Wrapper feeding and coating mechanism comprising an adhesive applying roll, a suctiony conveyor drum, and pivoted supporting structure for said drum movable to one position to bring said drum closely adjacent said roll and movable to another position to permit access to said roll.

2l. Wrapper feeding and coating mechanism comprising an adhesive applying roll, stripper blade structure for deecting coated wrappers from said roll, a suction conveyor drum, and pivoted supporting structure movable to one position to bring said drum closely adjacent said roll at the region Where the wrappers are deflected therefrom by said stripper blade structure and to another position to permit access to said roll and said stripper blade structure.

22. Wrapper feeding and coating mechanism comprising an adhesive applying roll, a suction drum, a suction chamber, conveyor belt structure passing over said drum and said chamber in succession, and a pivoted supporting structure for said drum and said chamber movable to one position to bring said drum closely adjacent said roll and to another position permitting access to said roll.

23. Wrapper feeding and coating mechanism comprising an adhesive applying roll, a perforated drum rotatable adjacent said roll, conveyor belt structure engaging said drum, means for applying suction through said drum and belt structure, stripper blade structure for deflecting coated Wrappers from said roll toward said belt at a region of its engagement with said drum, and stationary structure for guiding the Wrapper as it straightens out in passing with said belt beyond said drum.

2i. A Wrapper coating and feeding system comprising mechanism for applying adhesive to a Wrapper, conveying means for moving the coated Wrapper along a path from said mechanism, means associated with said conveying means for applying suction to the coated Wrapper, wrapper registering means at a region in said path, and means for releasingrsaid wrapper from suction while in said regionfor registration by said registering means. i

25.. A wrapper coating and feeding system comprising mechanism for applying adhesive to a Wrapper, conveying means for moving the coated Wrapper along a path from said mechanism, means associated With said conveying means for applying suction to the coated wrapper, wrapper registering means at an'intermediateregion in `said path, and means for temporarily releasing wrapper along a path from said mechanism comprising a conveyor terminating adjacent a second conveyor, each of said conveyors comprising endless belt structure, means for applying suction to the coated wrapper through the endless belt structure of said conveyors, mechanism for transferring a Wrapper from said rst to said second conveyor, and means for releasing the Wrapper from suction for movement by said ltransfer mechanism.

THEODORE A. FEDERWITZ. WALTER T. BAILEY.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,065,178. l December 22, 1936 THEODORE A. FEDERWITZ, ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, second Column, line 659-70, claim lO, for "Wrapners" read wrappers; and line '71, same Claim, for "chambers" read chamber; and that the said Letters Patent should be read wththeee corrections therein that the same may Conform to the record of the oase n Jthe Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 23rd day of March, A. D. 1937.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) Acting Commissioner' of Patents. 

